JPH10191143A - Camera control system, camera server, camera client, control method and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a system to seek and display information of an angle desired by a user by storing video information picked up in the past. SOLUTION: Video data picked up by a camera 100 are acquired by an image information acquisition part 101. On the other hand, angle information of video data acquired by the image information acquisition part 101 is acquired by a video image visual point information acquisition part 102 and a header preparation part 103 prepares a header. The prepared header and the acquired video data are made to information for recording by a recording information preparation part 104 and the information for recording is stored in an external storage device 6. When a retrieval indication is done externally, a retrieval part 105 retrieves information coinciding with angle information in retrieval conditions and an output part 106 outputs the retrieved video data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera control system for controlling a remote camera, a camera control device, a camera operation device, and a method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, the Internet has attracted attention. The present applicant has already proposed several camera servers connected to the Internet. According to this proposal, a user connects a terminal to a desired camera server via the Internet, controls an angle (pan, tilt, zoom) of the camera, and watches a live video taken by the camera. become able to. For example, if a camera of a camera server is installed in a resort, a tourist spot, or the like, it is possible to view the video while staying at home.

[0003]

However, by transferring the video taken by the camera to the client connected at that time, each client can view the video, but the control right, that is, Only one client (one user) can freely operate the angle. Even if the control right given to one client is fixed and the control right is sequentially given to the clients waiting in the queue, as long as a large number of clients are waiting in the queue, it is very difficult to see the video of the angle that the user wants to see. You can't do that.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is intended to search for and display angle information desired by a user by storing video information shot in the past. An object of the present invention is to provide a camera control system, a camera server, a camera client, a control method, and a storage medium that enable the control.

In order to solve this problem, for example, a camera control system according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
What is claimed is: 1. A camera control system comprising: a camera server capable of controlling an angle-controllable camera device; and a client for displaying an image from the camera server, wherein the client specifies angle information to the camera server by a search condition instruction. Search condition transfer means for transferring as information;
Display control means for displaying the video data transferred from the camera server on predetermined display means, wherein the camera server converts the video data captured by the camera device and angle information of the video data into a predetermined value. Storage means for storing in the storage means, search means for searching for the storage means according to the angle information in the instruction information when receiving the instruction information from the client, and video data searched for by the search means in the client Video data transfer means for transferring the image data to

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a camera server according to the embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram thereof.

In FIG. 10, reference numeral 100 denotes a camera device capable of controlling a pan angle, a tilt angle, and a zoom (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as an angle), and 101 obtains image data obtained from the camera device 100 ( capture)
This is an image information acquisition unit to be used. Reference numeral 102 denotes a capturing viewpoint information acquisition unit that acquires camera angle information at that time. If a camera device that outputs an appropriate control signal to the camera 100 and returns the angle information at that time, the angle information can be obtained by outputting the signal every time an image is taken. If not, the camera angle should always be maintained. Reference numeral 103 denotes a header creation unit that creates header information based on the obtained angle information. 104 denotes storage information that combines the created header information and captured video data into a predetermined format and stores the combined information in the external storage device 6 This is the creation unit. 105
Is a search unit for searching for target video data by searching for a header in information stored in the external storage device 6;
An output unit 06 outputs the video data obtained by the search. A control unit 107 controls the entire apparatus, and also inputs search conditions and the like from the outside.

The relationship between FIG. 10 and FIG. 1 will be apparent from the following description.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a camera device capable of controlling the angle, 1 denotes a CPU that controls the entire device serving as a camera server, 2 denotes various control signals to the camera 100, and a status from the camera 100. It is an interface for receiving signals and further inputting captured video data. Reference numeral 3 denotes a ROM storing a boot program of the CPU, and reference numeral 4 denotes a RAM. 5
Denotes a timer for measuring time, 6 denotes an OS, and an external storage device (for example, a hard disk device or the like) that functions as a camera server. By reading the camera server program, this apparatus functions as a camera server. The external storage device is also used to store captured video data in a format described later. Reference numeral 7 denotes a communication interface for connecting to the Internet.

When a camera server (the entire apparatus in FIG. 1) receives a connection request from a client on the Internet (or a network), the camera server according to the present embodiment gives control to the first client and outputs a captured image. Forward. For the clients connected after the second, the video data is transferred, but the control right is not given. However, giving the control right to one user indefinitely gives an uncomfortable feeling to other users, so the control right is sequentially given at an appropriate time. Control is given in the order of connection.

However, when the number of connected users is relatively small, it is possible to watch an image at a free angle if the user waits for an appropriate time. However, this is only when the number of connected users is small. If a large number of clients are in the queue for control, and a new client connects, the user of that client will have a considerable amount of time, even with the condition of one client 5 minutes of control. It will be inevitable to wait. Above all, there is also the problem of line connection fees.

In the present embodiment, the camera server stores the previously shot video, its angle information, and the time. The client is not a live video, but the stored video is not given a control right. This problem can be solved by enabling the transfer to be performed.

For example, suppose that by controlling the angle of a certain camera server, the congestion state of a nearby road can be confirmed. In this case, just watching the video one hour or thirty minutes ago would be enough to make the user of that client guess most road conditions.

For this reason, the camera server according to the embodiment sequentially controls the pan angle and the tilt angle at the designated time, whether or not the client is connected (zoom is fixed at the tele end (= minimum magnification)). Yes), and the images that can be captured by the camera are stored in the external storage device 6. At this time,
The video data to be stored is stored in a state where angle information and time information of the video data are associated with each other. The video data is stored after being subjected to appropriate compression processing.

FIG. 2 shows the timing at which the full-field image is captured. In the case shown, 4:00 am to 1 pm
This shows that this full-field image capturing is performed every hour until 0:00. The period and the fetch timing are controlled by the timer 5, but the fetch time and the like may be appropriately changed.

FIG. 3 shows a process to be started when the fetch time comes. Hereinafter, description will be given according to the flowchart.

When the capture time comes, first, in step S
In step 1, the control right is temporarily disabled, and if there is a client having the control right at that time, the camera angle at that time is evacuated, and the client is instructed to capture the full field of view. Therefore, it is notified that it becomes temporarily unavailable.

Then, proceeding to step S2, the pan angle,
Initialize the tilt angle (for example, point to the upper left corner of the field of view in which the camera direction can be captured). Set to the telephoto end (minimum magnification) for the zoom value.

Next, in step S3, an image is taken at the camera angle, and the time and angle value at that time are used as headers,
It is stored in the external storage device 6 together with the obtained video data (step S4).

Next, the process proceeds to step S5, in which the angle is changed to the next angle. By sequentially performing the above operations, the process is repeated until it is finally determined that the video of the entire field of view, which is the photographable range, can be stored (step S6).

When the capturing of the image of the entire field of view is completed, the process proceeds to step S7, where the control right can be given.

If there is a client whose control right has been temporarily lost, the saved angle information is read out and the angle information is read in order to return to the state when the control right was lost from that client. Return control to the client. At this time, a message or the like indicating that the control right has been given again and thanks may be transmitted.

FIG. 4 shows an outline of the video data stored in the external storage device 6 as described above. In the figure, reference numeral 12a denotes actual photographed video data;
Reference numeral b denotes a header that stores shooting date and time and shooting angle information (pan angle, tilt angle, and zoom value).

It should be noted that the video data shot by the instruction of the client having the camera control right may also be stored and saved in the format shown in FIG. In this case, it is naturally desirable to provide a large-capacity external storage device 6. Also, in this case, if the video is stored in real time, it will be substantially the same as a moving image. For example, if the camera device has a video capturing capability of 15 frames / second,
Only one of them is stored,
In some cases, the video data may be stored in the external storage device 6 at longer intervals.

When the storage capacity is small, only the specific client registered in advance is stored in the external storage device 6.
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which storage is possible and storage is not permitted to other clients. In this case, although client authentication is required, a known authentication technique may be used, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The description of the external storage device 6 will be omitted.
Has a finite storage capacity, so the shot video is not permanently stored and stored, but if it tries to exceed that capacity, or if it reaches a preset capacity , Overwriting the oldest video data in order.

When video data is stored for each client based on client registration, the storage capacity is determined for each client, and old video data is deleted for each client. As another method, when the storage capacity of the client is exceeded, the server reduces the already stored video according to the instruction of the client, and transmits the reduced video to the client as a multi-image composed of the reduced video. Then, the server may delete an image specified by the client user from the already-existing multi-image.

Now, control of one camera is given to only one user. The other connected users are watching the video, but the users waiting for the control right (of course, the users of the client having the control right may be included), as described above. You can freely view the images that have been shot and stored.

In this case, the client can realize this by transferring a predetermined search command and its condition data to the camera server.

Before describing the processing contents of the camera server for realizing this processing, the configuration and operation on the client side will be described first.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an apparatus serving as a client.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a CPU which controls the entire apparatus, and 12 denotes a ROM which stores a boot program, a BIOS and the like. Reference numeral 13 denotes a RAM, into which various OSs and browser programs are loaded, and this device is operated as a client device on the Internet. An external storage device 14 stores an OS, a browser program, various applications, and data.
5 is a keyboard, 16 is a pointing device, 17
Denotes a display control unit (configured with a VRAM, a drawing chip, and the like), and 18 denotes a display device. Reference numeral 19 denotes a communication unit for connecting to the camera server shown in FIG.

The above configuration can be realized by a personal computer or a workstation of recent years.

FIG. 7 shows a window displayed when the browser program is operated on the client device shown in FIG. The figure shows a state where the camera server (the address (URL) is “//www.foo.co.jp/”) is connected and the user does not have the control right (the message “Camera cannot be controlled” is displayed. Displayed).

Reference numeral 71 denotes the maximum field of view of the camera, and 72 denotes the current field of view of the camera. 73 is a scroll bar for controlling the tilt, 74 is a scroll bar for controlling the pan angle, and 80 is a bar for controlling the zoom. However, in the state shown in the figure, since the camera control right is not given to the user, the bars for controlling these angles do not function (the bars are displayed dimmed to clearly indicate that). .

Reference numeral 75 denotes a frame for displaying an image transmitted from the camera server. Normally, the user sees an image of an angle set by another user having control authority. Since the data is transmitted in a compressed state from the camera server, it is internally expanded and displayed.

Now, in this state, the pointing device 16 is positioned at the position of the button 79 indicating "Search" in the figure.
When a cursor is linked to and a button provided on the pointing device is pressed (hereinafter, this operation is referred to as "clicking"), a search condition expression can be key-inputted to the connected camera server. Will be possible.

Although a key input window is not shown, for example, it is assumed that search.time1996.10.23.13-02: P50T20 is input.

This means "October 23, 1996
Search for a video with a pan angle of 50 ° and a tilt angle of 20 ° from 13:00 to 2 hours. ”

When the user inputs these conditions and clicks, for example, the OK button in the window displayed at that time, the following transfer request character string conforming to the Internet is transmitted to the connected camera server.

//Www.foo.co.jp/search.time1996.10.23.13-02:P50T20 The camera server (FIG. 1) receives this character string, and the first character string is one of the reserved words. When it is judged, "searc
h.… ”Interpret the whole as a command, not as a file name.

As a result, the camera server searches for data stored in its own external storage device 14, and the search is performed by checking the header. If there is a match, it forwards it to the client. The image displayed in the frame 75 in FIG. 7 is just this image.

The difference from the ordinary raw video is that when the search processing is performed, the shooting date and time of the image is displayed above the frame 75 shown in the figure, and the page turning button 76 is displayed below the frame 75. 77 and a button 78 for instructing the end of the search mode are displayed.

The page turning button 76 is an instruction button for watching the next video, and the button 77 is provided for displaying the previous page button. With this button, images of the same angle stored at predetermined time intervals can be sequentially displayed.

When each button in the search mode is clicked, similarly to the previous search conditions, for example, the page down, page up, and search are performed following the camera server address.
What is necessary is just to transfer a predefined character string such as end.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing contents when the search button 79 is clicked on the client device.

First, in step S21, a window for inputting search conditions is displayed, and the user is made to input search conditions by key. When the key input is completed, the input character string is transferred to the camera server while being connected to the camera server address. by this,
The camera server starts searching for a video that meets the specified condition. When the search conditions are transferred to the camera server in step S22, the client device shifts to the search mode and displays buttons 76, 77, and 78 in FIG.

Now, according to the instruction from the client, the camera server transfers the raw video or the video captured in the past, and hereinafter, the camera server for responding to these requests will be described. The details of the processing will be described.

The mode in which the live video is transferred and the client sees the raw video is referred to as the “viewing mode”, and the mode in which the client views the previously shot video by giving the search conditions described above is referred to as the “search mode”. ".

FIG. 9 shows an example of a client management table previously secured in the external storage device 6 of the camera server.

In the case shown in the figure, four clients are connected, and the uppermost client is given camera control authority. In other words, the second and subsequent cameras are in a camera control right waiting state. In addition, since the first and third are in the “viewing mode”, a live video is viewed, and it can be understood that the second and fourth are in the “search mode”.

Now, the search pointer shown in the figure is information possessed only by the client in the "search mode", and may be considered as the record number of the video transferred to each client. In other words, as described earlier, when switching to the search mode in each client, it is necessary to know the current position because it is possible to turn the page by clicking the button of the previous page and the next page This is the reason for providing this pointer. The search condition expression from each client is
As long as there is no change, it is sufficient to store the data in a RAM or the like, and therefore, it is not provided in the illustrated table.

Now, the specific operation processing of the camera server will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart operates when an instruction command is received from the client.

First, in step S11, instruction information from a client is analyzed. Next, the process proceeds to step S12, where it is determined whether or not the instruction command is related to a search.

If it is determined that the client has been in the "viewing mode", the "search mode"
And the pointer is initialized with “0” (meaning the oldest video data).

In step S13, the search of the header of the video data is started from the record number of the pointer at that time according to the search conditions (date and time information, angle information).
However, in the initial state, since the pointer is "0", the search is performed in the increment direction.

When the process proceeds to step S15, it is determined whether a matching header exists. If there is a matching header, the process proceeds to step S16, and the video data and the shooting date and time information are transferred to the client according to a predetermined format.

If it does not exist, the process proceeds to step S17, and information indicating that it does not exist is transferred to the client.

The above operation is performed each time an instruction command is received from the client, so that the client can see a matching video at the initial stage of the search, and then clicks the next page turning button. It is possible to view a page, that is, video data captured at predetermined time intervals, and videos of the same angle continuous in time.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
It is possible to search for video data that matches a target angle from already captured video data, and display the video data. Also, by setting the time zone to be searched, it is possible to search within the range of the desired time zone. Moreover, since these are possible even if the control right is not specifically given to the client, the user cannot see the raw video, but can see the desired video. It works very well in terms of friendliness.

In the above description, it is determined whether or not the camera server exists in the search processing of the camera server. However, it is desirable to provide a certain range for this determination. That is, since it is natural to think that the angle information instructed to be searched by the user is that the image of the target subject assumes the center position of the frame 75, even if the angles are slightly different, Objects in which the target subject exists within the angle are searched. This determination can be made based on the angle information (which is also the center line of the lens of the camera) stored in the external storage device 6 and the zoom value at that time, so that the specified subject exists in the visual range. You just have to decide whether or not to get it.

Immediately after the step S6 of the image capturing process of the camera server, as shown in FIG. 11, a process for linking the image data of each taken angle to create and store one wide image is added. (The shooting time is the shooting time at the first angle). When a search instruction is given from the client, an image may be cut out from the stored wide-area image data according to the specified angle, and transferred.

However, since the photographing times of the individual images to be connected are shifted by the time difference required for changing the angle, the image near the joint may be unnatural. However, since the client that has issued the search request only needs to know the approximate situation, there is no particular problem.

Further, in the browser program on the client side in the above embodiment, when the search button is pressed, the search condition formula is input. However, when information is transferred from the camera server in, for example, an HTML format, a search input is performed. Is displayed in the window 70, the client side can be realized by using a normal browser.

<Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment,
A user program with a GUI was created and searched. In the second embodiment, an HTML viewer, HTML
Search by page, CGI.

FIG. 12 is a system configuration diagram of the second embodiment. A PC 1101 on which an HTML viewer is installed is connected to the system via the Internet. 1102, a WWW server 1105 and an HTM
It comprises an L file system 1103, an image search program 1106, and an image database 1104.

Reference numeral 1101 accesses 1105 to read an HTML file containing a camera image.

The HTML file contains a CGI call.

This can be described, for example, in an HTML page as <IMG SRC = "http://www.foo.co.jp/search.p50t20">. If the user who downloads the HTML page receives the server www.foo http:
//www.foo.co.jp/search.p50t20 "is sent. search.p50t20 is a call of the search program 1106, which causes the server to search for the latest image having the pan angle of 50 degrees and the tilt angle of 20 degrees as described above, and obtain the corresponding image from the image database 1104. , 1101. As a result, a page including the latest video is displayed in 1101.

When the user accesses the HTML page, the server retrieves and transmits the latest image at that angle, so that the user can always see the latest image.

Also, if the characteristics of the angle are written on the HTML page, such as “Zushi as seen from Shonan” or “Enoshima as seen from Shonan”, the video taken by one camera can be obtained.
Video search by angle can be performed by Internet search engine.

For example, as shonan-enoshima.html, <HTML> <TITLE> Enoshima viewed from Shonan </ TITLE> <BODY> <IMG SRC = "http://www.foo.co.jp/search.p50t20 "> </ BODY> </ HTML> or shonan-zushi.html as <HTML> <TITLE> Zushi viewed from Shonan </ TITLE> <BODY> <IMG SRC =" http://www.foo. co.jp/search.p-50t-20 "> </ BODY> </ HTML>

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device.

Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing program codes of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (or a CPU or M
Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the PU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. A device serving as a camera server is a program for mounting an interface card or the like for connecting a camera for implementing the above-described embodiment to hardware of a personal computer or a workstation, and operating as a camera server thereon. It can be realized.
This is the same for the client device.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS and the like running on the computer are actually executed based on the instructions of the program code. It goes without saying that a part or all of the above-described processing is performed, and the functions of the embodiments are realized by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in an extension function board inserted in the computer or a function extension unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU provided in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs a part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0080]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to search for and display information on an angle desired by a user by storing video information captured in the past.

[0081]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a camera server according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a sequence of automatic camera photographing in the camera server of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing details of automatic camera photographing in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a format of video data stored in a camera server.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of the camera server.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a client device in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a window displayed on the client device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process of inputting search conditions on a client device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a client management table in the camera server.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera server according to the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a modification of the operation of the camera server.

FIG. 12 is a system configuration diagram according to a second embodiment.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04Q 9/00 301 H04Q 9/00 301E

Claims (27)

[Claims] 1. A camera control system comprising a camera server capable of controlling an angle-controllable camera device and a client displaying an image from the camera server, wherein the client has an angle with respect to the camera server. A search condition transfer unit that transfers information as search condition instruction information; and a display control unit that displays video data transferred from the camera server on a predetermined display unit. Storage means for storing the obtained video data and the angle information of the video data in a predetermined storage means; and a search for searching the storage means according to the angle information in the instruction information when receiving the instruction information from the client. Means for transferring the video data searched by the search means to the client. Camera control system, characterized in that it comprises a data transfer unit. 2. The camera control system according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit also stores shooting date and time information, and the search condition transfer unit transfers time zone information as a search condition. 3. The camera control method according to claim 1, wherein the camera server sequentially changes the angle of the camera device and shoots an image in a shootable range when a preset time is reached. apparatus. 4. A camera device capable of controlling the angle,
A camera server for transferring video captured by the camera device to the client in accordance with an instruction from a remote client, wherein video data captured by the camera device and angle information of the video data are stored in a predetermined storage unit. Storage means for performing, when receiving instruction information from the client, search means for searching the storage means in accordance with the angle information in the instruction information, and video for transferring the video data searched by the search means to the client A camera server comprising: a data transfer unit. 5. The camera server according to claim 4, wherein said storage means stores the video data as a part of an HTML file. 6. The camera server according to claim 4, wherein said search means is a search program executed when receiving instruction information from a client. 7. The camera server according to claim 4, wherein the video data transfer unit transfers the video data via the Internet. 8. The camera server according to claim 4, wherein said video data transfer means transfers video data according to an HTML protocol. 9. The storage unit also stores shooting date and time information, and when the instruction information includes time zone information, the search unit searches the time zone as a search condition. The camera server according to claim 4, wherein 10. Further, at a preset time,
5. The camera server according to claim 4, wherein the camera server sequentially changes the angle of the camera device to capture an image in a photographable range. 11. A camera client having a camera device whose angle can be controlled and connected to a camera server for storing photographed video data in predetermined storage means together with photographing angle information of the video data. A camera comprising: input means for inputting information; transfer means for transferring input search information to the camera server; and display means for displaying video data searched for from the camera server. client. 12. The camera client according to claim 11, wherein said input means inputs angle information into an address input field on a browser. 13. The camera server according to claim 11, wherein the camera server also stores shooting date and time information in the storage device in association with video data, and the input unit inputs shooting time zone information as a search condition. Camera client according to paragraph. 14. A method for controlling a camera server, comprising a camera device capable of controlling the angle, and transferring a video image taken by the camera device to the client in accordance with an instruction from a remote client, wherein Storing the video data and the angle information of the video data in a predetermined storage unit; and searching for the storage unit according to the angle information in the instruction information when receiving the instruction information from the client. And a video data transfer step of transferring the video data searched for in the search step to the client. 15. The storage step also stores shooting date and time information, and the search step searches the time zone as a search condition when the instruction information includes time zone information. The method of controlling a camera server according to claim 14, wherein 16. Further, at a preset time,
15. The method of controlling a camera server according to claim 14, further comprising a step of sequentially changing an angle of the camera device to photograph an image in a photographable range. 17. A method for controlling a camera client having a camera device capable of controlling an angle and connecting to a camera server for storing photographed video data in predetermined storage means together with photographing angle information of the video data. An input step of inputting information as search information; a transfer step of transferring the input search information to the camera server; and a display step of displaying video data searched from the camera server. Camera client control method. 18. The camera server according to claim 17, wherein the camera server also stores shooting date and time information in the storage device in association with video data, and the inputting step inputs shooting time zone information as a search condition. The control method of the camera client according to the paragraph. 19. A storage medium having a camera device capable of controlling the angle and storing a program for functioning as a camera server for transferring a video taken by the camera device to the client in accordance with an instruction from a remote client, Storage means for storing video data captured by the camera device and angle information of the video data in a predetermined storage means; and when receiving instruction information from the client, the storage means according to the angle information in the instruction information. A storage medium storing a search means for searching means, and a program code for functioning as video data transfer means for transferring the video data searched by the search means to the client. 20. A storage having a camera device capable of controlling the angle and storing a program for functioning as a camera client connected to a camera server for storing captured video data in predetermined storage means together with shooting angle information of the video data. Medium, input means for inputting angle information as search information, transfer means for transferring the input search information toward the camera server, and display means for displaying video data searched for from the camera server A storage medium that stores a program code that functions as a computer. 21. A camera server capable of transmitting video data according to requests from a plurality of clients, comprising: an imaging unit; a storage unit for storing video data captured by the imaging unit in association with predetermined information; A camera server for transmitting video data being imaged to a predetermined client of the plurality of clients, and transmitting video data stored in the storage unit to the client other than the predetermined client. . 22. A receiving unit for receiving predetermined information from a client other than the predetermined client, and a searching unit for searching a storage unit suitable for the predetermined information received from other than the predetermined client, wherein the transmitting unit 22. The camera server according to claim 21, wherein the search server transmits the search result to a client other than the predetermined client. 23. The image processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the predetermined information is angle information of the image capturing unit when capturing the video information stored in the storage unit.
Camera server according to item. 24. The camera server according to claim 21, further comprising control means for controlling an imaging state of said imaging means, wherein said control means performs control in accordance with an instruction from said predetermined client. 25. The camera server according to claim 24, wherein the control of the imaging state includes control of pan, tilt, and zoom. 26. The camera server according to claim 21, wherein said storage means stores a plurality of angles of video at predetermined time intervals. 27. The camera server according to claim 21, wherein said storage means stores an image taken by an image pickup means according to an instruction of said predetermined client.